“You are out of your mind.” That was Festus’ reaction when Paul insisted that Jesus had risen from the dead. And many people stand with Festus today – those who, like him, make worldly power and influence the focus of their lives. For if you are placing your faith in the material world and its treasures, the resurrection of Christ and the promise that He will come again will indeed sound crazy to you.

“Would you persuade me to be a Christian?” That’s was Agrippa’s reaction when Paul insisted that the Christ, the promised Messiah, had to suffer and die. And many people stand with Agrippa today – those who, like him, imagine that faith is all about getting what you want. If you follow the prosperity gospel, believing that God will change all the circumstances of your life to make you happy, the idea of a suffering Savior who calls His disciples to self-denial has no appeal.

But there was one more thing that both Festus and Agrippa found unbelievable – the idea that God would tell both Jews and Gentiles to “repent and turn to God” (26:20). And many people stand with them today, determined to decide for themselves what is right and wrong, even to define for themselves the nature of reality.

But when Paul insisted that Jesus had to suffer and die, he made it clear that sin is real, and that it can have only one solution – the cross of Christ. And when Paul insisted that Jesus rose from the dead, He affirmed that the material world is not all that exists, but that there is a spiritual world that is greater and more permanent than anything we can see. And when Paul insisted that Jesus proclaimed light to both Jews and Gentiles, he called all of us out of whatever darkness we have made for ourselves into the one light of the one risen Lord, the one truth that drives away all the lies we tell ourselves and others.

So, will we turn away from the crucified Christ, the risen Savior, the ascended Lord? Or will we turn to God, demonstrating in our thoughts, words, and deeds our faith and our repentance?

Acts 26:24-27:8 (ESV)

24 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”
25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.
26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”
29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am– except for these chains.”
30 Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them.
31 And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.”
32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius.
2 And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica.
3 The next day we put in at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for.
4 And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us.
5 And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia.
6 There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board.
7 We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone.
8 Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.